1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of computer systems, and specifically, to a method and apparatus for extending basic input output system control of screen display beyond operating system boot process.
2. Background Information
In a typical computer, such as a PC-compatible computer, the boot process involves performing various system tests and displaying a basic input-output system (BIOS) information screen. This time period is referred to as power on self test (POST). Once the BIOS completes the POST, it loads a native operating system. The operating system then replaces the BIOS information screen with the operating system""s own display screen. The operating system, such as for example, the Windows(trademark) operating system, displays its own proprietary splash or cloud screen while the operating system is loading. The display screen shows a static, graphical company logo and product image with an activity indicator. The activity indicator generally shows activity near the bottom of the screen either using color manipulation or presenting a progress bar with color filling to indicate the current progress of the operating system loading.
During the time the operating system is loading, there is no informational content displayed on the screen for the user. This is exasperated by the fact that the time spent loading the operating system is significantly longer then the POST of the BIOS. Consequently, a much shorter duration of time is given to the user to view and read the contents of the BIOS information screen display or other content for viewing by users.
The present invention comprises a method for controlling a video controller. In one embodiment, the method includes configuring a video controller to write data to an unused area of a video memory and to display the data in the unused area of the video memory on a display screen, and configuring the video controller so that data is written to a second area in video memory. The method further includes starting an operating system, intercepting accesses to the video controller, and configuring the video controller to display data written in the second area of video memory when the operating system is loaded.